I'm Glad I Exist

Sunday, 3 December 2017

I didn't shop from Etsy this year like I usually do, but shopping around for this post makes me wish I did! Etsy can be a bit intimidating to navigate through--there are so many shops and items, many of which are sort of tacky or cheesy. I keep lists of my favorite items and shops here, but you can shop all the highlights below!

Let's kick this wishlist off with jewelry. I love finding basics with a twist, and Etsy is also chock full of great statement pieces:

Art can be a tricky thing to buy for someone else, but fortunately Etsy artists have such beautiful work that I think anyone would appreciate, from your friend who loves landscapes and nature-inspired prints, to your friend who just bought a home and wants to decorate her bathroom with a less-cheesy beach theme, to your teenage niece who's putting her own stamp on her bedroom:

Last but not least, Etsy is obviously a treasure trove for home decor pieces. I have my eye on several of the black-and-white pillows for our new den, and the leather tray is on my own Christmas list this year!

Friday, 1 December 2017

This year I've begun educating myself on more sustainable, Earth- and people-friendly practices, from composting to biking instead of driving to buying products that are designed to reduce negative impacts on the Earth and the people making the products. Fortunately you don't have to be a hippy, granola-toting eco warrior to appreciate these lovely gifts!

There are so many different ways to lessen harms to our world, so I've labeled each product with some of the highlights of each company. I'd really recommend clicking through to each product's website to learn more, though--there are many more details and many, many more gorgeous products to sift through!

The horn earrings, "Leave it better than you found it" tee, and slippers are on my own personal wishlist this year, but I'd be happy to receive any of these items!

Thursday, 30 November 2017

Well if all the cool kids are doing it....here's my take on the ever-present blogger Christmas wishlist! I've been slacking on exercising of late due to traveling a lot for work, moving into a new house, and most recently being sick, so I have exercise on the brain. I'm kicking things off with a wishlist for your active friend!

Biking:

Jacket: This jacket has crazy reflective properties! Perfect for throwing over a puff jacket in the winter, nobody will miss seeing you on your bike commute!

Light set: I have this set and can personally attest that they're crazy-bright. They have different settings, like blinking or solid light and various brightnesses.

Helmet: I also have this helmet and get compliments all the time! Super comfortable and relatively stylish as far as helmets go.

Tires: For the daily bike commuter, Gatorskins are a must-have--they're like armor for your bike tubes so you don't get flats so often!

Camping:

National Parks Pass: Gets you in to all national parks without having to pay daily fees--a must for every camping enthusiast!

Camelbak bladder: You can add this to any backpack (most hiking packs are designed to accommodate the tube and I find that I drink a lot more water when it's readily available through the tube rather than having to stop to get your bottle out of your pack.

Thermarest: I was skeptical about the cost of this mat, but it was a game-changer once I caved. Keeps me so much more comfortable but most importantly, it's much warmer than sleeping on the ground!

Workout:

Tank: I personally hate built-in bra tops so these Athleta Chi tanks are my favorites for working out because they are so simple and lightweight. They used to come in fun colors, so I'd try eBay if black isn't your jam!

Leggings: I recently bought these black high-waist leggings from Senita (a woman-owned, eco-friendly USA company) and basically haven't taken them off since. They're suuuuuper comfortable, although I've been sick so I haven't tried working out in them yet. The cute black succulent print leggings are on my own wishlist--would you believe they're only $37?!

Wednesday, 29 November 2017

For the first time in 3 years we have a spare bedroom! Currently it's being used as an office/workout room, but eventually we'd like to outfit it up proper to be used as a real guest room. Since it's not a real budget priority right now, it will probably be a hodgepodge of hand-me-downs and Craigslist finds. To make some sense of that mess, I think we'll focus on an eclectic mix of textures and patterns, all centered around the beautiful purple patchwork quilt my mom and grandma made for me!

Monday, 27 November 2017

Today I'm giving you a glimpse at our ideas for our new sunroom. It's going to function primarily as a dining space, but hopefully we can squeeze a comfy reading chair in there too, because it's such a beautiful room due to the south-facing windows and skylights!

We plan to continue the colorful, patterned look we have planned for the living room (they're attached to each other) and exploit the sunlight with bright white and bleached woods, plus lots of plants!

Monday, 20 November 2017

Yesterday I showed you the calming, neutral, textural plan we have for our new den, which is right off the bedrooms and bathroom. Next up is the inspiration for our living room, which will essentially be the opposite vibe: fun, bright, and upbeat. This room gets a lot of light and I want it to be a welcoming place for when we have people over--nothing stuffy or fragile. I'm going for a bit of a boho look, mainly through mixed patterns and colors:

We'll supplement the more colorful accent pieces with neutral furnishings and plan to get a stash of board games and a record player! I think the den will be where we get cozy, but the living room will be where we get our dance party on :)

Saturday, 18 November 2017

We are very slowly settling into our new house. I've been traveling a lot for work and my husband has been working long hours himself, so the moving/settling process is taking longer than it usually does when we move.

We've decided to focus our attention on our den first. We're thinking neutrals, lots of texture and art, with a very cozy vibe:

Since putting together this inspiration boards we've started thinking more about a medium grey sectional instead of leather sofa, so I'm on the hunt now for something affordable and petite! Sounds like a unicorn in the sectional world...anyone have suggestions for us?